shadows of Divinity
Knowledge is not necessarily understanding.
Understanding is not necessarily wisdom.
Wisdom is not necessarily Love.
For even a small child may be lacking in knowledge, understanding and wisdom...
but exudes such unconditional love
as to render these other things a poor reflection of Divinity.
gg
Saturday, March 22, 2008
The ABUSE of understanding - Fitna
As I have commented before on this blog, the 'beauty' of ancient manuscripts is the lack of real understanding of what the language actually meant in the culture of the time. This allows for all sorts of 'misinterpretations and kaleidoscopic conclusions' - giving rise to sectarianism, schism,
dysfunction.
There is no greater threat to the established 'religions' than the proclamations of one of influence who claims to have discovered THE truth about God (as opposed to A truth about God), and then proceeds to 'justify this declaration' with all sorts of ancient texts interpreted to suit the argument.
FITNA is a case in point! 'Anonymous' responded to my blog thursday post on Sat, Mar 22, 2008 at 8:16 AM with :"Fitna doesnt mean "oppression", it means "opposition". The same way a dictator would outlaw and squash any political opposition This is totalitarian theocracy imposed by the sword and it is why Geert Wilders title his movie "Fitna". Muslims try to twist the meaning of fitna to make them sound like victims when actually it is quite the opposite. " (I will post comments that are signed with something more precise than anon and reserve the right to edit any comments I deem especially offensive)
So I thought I better google and check out other meanings of the word FITNA to those I had already assembled: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitna_%28word%29 and this article starts "Arabic word, generally regarded as very difficult to translate", difficult to translate is a euphanism for 'it can mean almost anything".
This is Islamist centrist intellectual Mohamed al-Amara who published a thought provoking, faith enlightening - and storm
surrounded book "Fitna al-Takfir" last year.
You can see some of the turmoil in The Islamic religion's propensity to accept innumerable interpretations of a sura/text/takfir here: http://abuaardvark.typepad.com/abuaardvark/2007/02/amaras_fitna_al.html
and one of the comments on that blog says as follows:
"He is focused on "fitna" - or in-fighting amongst Muslims. He is saying, basically, that it is brother with brother, and brother with cousin against the stranger, i.e. Muslims should not fight amongst themselves and hence weaken themselves vis a vis the West"
In short, there is not ONE Islamic religion,there are many - though there is but 'One God'. As I wrote on thursday:
"In the normal way of old-fashioned politics,if you seek to unite a people - or distract a population from what you are doing - the finest way is to' create a common enemy'. Where 'traditions and sectarian religious concepts are concerned' it is fairly easy to find targets".
Thus we see that the dysfunction of Islam, the 'civil war within Islam', gives rise to attacks upon 'kafir'(non-believers) not because of their non-belief, but because of Islam's inability to define what IT really believes in a universally agreed format.
But,hey, don't just point the finger at Islam here - almost every major religion has divided into warring sects. Even worse, most have claimed 'divine authority' for imposing torture and death upon their victims - like they have played the role of God, taking life (note, they are not so good at the other extreme of giving/creating life).Remember Beslan. Remember Islam Khardykov?
So who to believe? which to accept?
I have a very simple test - if it isn't loving, compassionate, merciful - it isn't from God!
Listen to your heart
As I have commented before on this blog, the 'beauty' of ancient manuscripts is the lack of real understanding of what the language actually meant in the culture of the time. This allows for all sorts of 'misinterpretations and kaleidoscopic conclusions' - giving rise to sectarianism, schism,
dysfunction.
There is no greater threat to the established 'religions' than the proclamations of one of influence who claims to have discovered THE truth about God (as opposed to A truth about God), and then proceeds to 'justify this declaration' with all sorts of ancient texts interpreted to suit the argument.
FITNA is a case in point! 'Anonymous' responded to my blog thursday post on Sat, Mar 22, 2008 at 8:16 AM with :"Fitna doesnt mean "oppression", it means "opposition". The same way a dictator would outlaw and squash any political opposition This is totalitarian theocracy imposed by the sword and it is why Geert Wilders title his movie "Fitna". Muslims try to twist the meaning of fitna to make them sound like victims when actually it is quite the opposite. " (I will post comments that are signed with something more precise than anon and reserve the right to edit any comments I deem especially offensive)
So I thought I better google and check out other meanings of the word FITNA to those I had already assembled: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitna_%28word%29 and this article starts "Arabic word, generally regarded as very difficult to translate", difficult to translate is a euphanism for 'it can mean almost anything".
This is Islamist centrist intellectual Mohamed al-Amara who published a thought provoking, faith enlightening - and storm
surrounded book "Fitna al-Takfir" last year.
You can see some of the turmoil in The Islamic religion's propensity to accept innumerable interpretations of a sura/text/takfir here: http://abuaardvark.typepad.com/abuaardvark/2007/02/amaras_fitna_al.html
and one of the comments on that blog says as follows:
"He is focused on "fitna" - or in-fighting amongst Muslims. He is saying, basically, that it is brother with brother, and brother with cousin against the stranger, i.e. Muslims should not fight amongst themselves and hence weaken themselves vis a vis the West"
In short, there is not ONE Islamic religion,there are many - though there is but 'One God'. As I wrote on thursday:
"In the normal way of old-fashioned politics,if you seek to unite a people - or distract a population from what you are doing - the finest way is to' create a common enemy'. Where 'traditions and sectarian religious concepts are concerned' it is fairly easy to find targets".
Thus we see that the dysfunction of Islam, the 'civil war within Islam', gives rise to attacks upon 'kafir'(non-believers) not because of their non-belief, but because of Islam's inability to define what IT really believes in a universally agreed format.
But,hey, don't just point the finger at Islam here - almost every major religion has divided into warring sects. Even worse, most have claimed 'divine authority' for imposing torture and death upon their victims - like they have played the role of God, taking life (note, they are not so good at the other extreme of giving/creating life).Remember Beslan. Remember Islam Khardykov?
So who to believe? which to accept?
I have a very simple test - if it isn't loving, compassionate, merciful - it isn't from God!
Listen to your heart
Friday, March 21, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Fitna
Qur'an 8:39 says, "And fight them until there is no more fitna [variously translated as tumult or oppression or persecution]Tags: Fitna, Geer Wilders, Qur'an, Koran, Jihad, love
It is not clear to me where this oppression and/or persecution originates. It seems that there is far more of it in Islamic lands than is imported into those countries. In so many areas, muslim fight muslim for dominance of a particular sect,interpretation,tradition.
In the normal way of old-fashioned politics,if you seek to unite a people - or distract a population from what you are doing - the finest way is to' create a common enemy'. Where 'traditions and sectarian religious concepts are concerned' it is fairly easy to find targets.
Fitna, an Islamic/arabic word meaning 'things than can test the faith' is also the film, shortly to be released on the internet, from the Dutch politician Geer Wilders. It is reported to be not very flattering to Islam.
Beware, Islam, lest in the fury of your anger at this film you simply validate it's argument that Islam is a religion of violence. The muslim friends I have are far from this 'fundamentalist violence' and demonstrate their faith in actions of kindness and lovingness.
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Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Most,initially, come to God out of fear - and meet a concept of God that broadens until eventually many see the enormity of lovingness that called them to a higher awareness - and then come to God out of Love. When this happens, we meet the reality that is God. The metafor of the crucifixion is to remove our fear and open the pathways of love, tearing the veil until we see into the holy of holies, the holiest of truths: Love is all there is.
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The truth of experience
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Lewis Hamilton winning the first GP of the 2008 season at Albert Park,MelbourneSportspersons, when 'in the zone', have a remarkable ability to remain focused on the challenge. I guess that's what's meant by 'being present', 'being in the NOW'. (picture and text: http://news.bbc.co.uk/ )
Spiritually speaking, there is only the now - for the past is usually a perception-modified memory and the future a concept-dominated expectation. It is reasonable to postulate,therefore, that if we wish to excel in lovingness it becomes an issue of focusing on now. There is no better time, whatever else is happening around us, to define ourselves by our unlimited capacity to love.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two “wolves” inside us all.
One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence,empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”
The grand son thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf wins?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed .”
One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence,empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”
The grand son thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf wins?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed .”
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
"FREE" WILL
The German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer said, as Einstein
paraphrased it, that “a human can very well do what he wants,
but cannot will what he wants.”
In short, the conscious brain was only playing catch-up to what the
unconscious brain was already doing.
The writer Isaac Bashevis Singer, once said in an interview with the
Paris Review, “The greatest gift which humanity has received is free
choice. It is true that we are limited in our use of free choice. But the
little free choice we have is such a great gift and is potentially worth
so much that for this itself, life is worthwhile living.”
The German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer said, as Einstein
paraphrased it, that “a human can very well do what he wants,
but cannot will what he wants.”
In short, the conscious brain was only playing catch-up to what the
unconscious brain was already doing.
The writer Isaac Bashevis Singer, once said in an interview with the
Paris Review, “The greatest gift which humanity has received is free
choice. It is true that we are limited in our use of free choice. But the
little free choice we have is such a great gift and is potentially worth
so much that for this itself, life is worthwhile living.”
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Monday, November 27, 2006
Sunday, November 26, 2006
When we can behold the wonder and beauty of a flower we have reached a place of lovingness in our being whereby we also have the possibility to behold the wonder and beauty of another human being - even if they do nor agree with us or share our views.........especially if they do not agree with us or share our views.
And for what purpose did you come to this 'realm of relativity' if not to experience that
which you knew as a concept?
The reality of lovingness is absolute: in the realm of the absolute and in the realm of the relative.
Indeed, when it comes to love and lovingness there is no seperation between absolute and relative.
All...all..is a manifestation of this reality
Universal love
"Three teenagers who robbed and vandalised a church in the US state of
Montana will get "love baskets" of electronic games by the congregation"
this was a report carried by the BBC ( here ).
Faith in positive and loving action.
It set me to thinking that similar loving and forgiving actions are always
happening, all the time, in many different religions.I guess it's even
happening in the sadly sectarian-brutalising country of Iraq where
'muslims' are murdering each other in the name of 'faith'. Love has a
way of winning through, despite all obstacles, so I guess that loving
actions are happening in Iraq.
Maybe the media will one day report these things.I hope for the sake
of Islam that they do.
Anyway, thankfully and wonderfully the report became public about
the SHEC (oh, and please remember I am not an american and actually
I live in Sweden).
Montana will get "love baskets" of electronic games by the congregation"
this was a report carried by the BBC ( here ).
Faith in positive and loving action.
It set me to thinking that similar loving and forgiving actions are always
happening, all the time, in many different religions.I guess it's even
happening in the sadly sectarian-brutalising country of Iraq where
'muslims' are murdering each other in the name of 'faith'. Love has a
way of winning through, despite all obstacles, so I guess that loving
actions are happening in Iraq.
Maybe the media will one day report these things.I hope for the sake
of Islam that they do.
Anyway, thankfully and wonderfully the report became public about
the SHEC (oh, and please remember I am not an american and actually
I live in Sweden).
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Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Monday, August 28, 2006
Belated wisdom
Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said: “We did not think, even 1 per cent, that the capture would lead to a war at this time and of this magnitude. You ask me, if I had known on July 11 . . . that the operation would lead to such a war, would I do it? I say no, absolutely not.”
Ah, so many have such greater wisdom with the benefit of hindsight.
Loving religions speak of foresight...anticipation through lovingness.
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Tuesday, August 15, 2006
There is a truth about beauty that is beyond words.
orchid pictures courtesy of http://homepages.tcp.co.uk/~nroberts/
would that all the idea/religion seeds which polulate the mind of man were so productive of beauty.Yet,soon it will be gone...just like those old idea/religion concepts
dandelion picture courtesy of mark@kyne.com.au
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Death of Islam
Shamil Basayev
He sits in front of a banner proclaiming in Arabic: “There is no God
but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet"
Justifying his attacks on civilian targets, he states: “We are at war
and we look at the reality, and not at whether the population has
weapons in their hands"
So spoke the man who claimed responsibility for the atrocity at the
school in BESLAN.
This is one of the men responsible for the death of ISLAM, see blog entry
Shamil Basayev died yesterday.
"Shamil and other brothers of ours became martyrs by the will of Allah,” said
a statement on a website claiming to be associated with the Basayev terrorists.
What, I wonder,in this warped religious fantasy is the
description given to ISLAM KHADIKOV.
If only we could devote as much energy to loving as we
seem able to devote to...sport?...hating?......rituals?
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